Nearly all Americans have come to expect modern-day comforts at home, and one of the most beloved is having hot water available whenever we want it. But if we dive into energy costs, the true expense of those hot showers is surprisingly high.
According to census data from the Energy Information Administration, a few categories make up the lion's share of the average home's electric utility bill. Water heating is the second-highest category, following only space heating. In fact, water heating accounts for nearly 20% of the average home's entire energy bill, according to the Department of Energy.
Because of this, more and more homeowners have been upgrading to heat pump water heaters, which use electricity. They are much more efficient than traditional tank heaters, which means a steep reduction in energy bills for homeowners and less pollution entering the atmosphere.
|
Which of these factors is your biggest obstacle to purchasing an EV? Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. |
Cost concerns 💸 Because of these numerous benefits, the Inflation Reduction Act is offering significant incentives to upgrade. They include rebates and tax breaks for making the switch. While the incentives are currently widely used, they may not be available forever, as President-elect Donald Trump has indicated he'd like to roll back the IRA — meaning that choosing to make the switch now could ultimately save you thousands of dollars.
One great option for upgrading is the new Cala "intelligent" heat pump water heater. The first-of-its-kind device uses predictive technology to heat water more efficiently. It considers water-use habits, environmental factors, and variable energy costs.
Cala CEO Michael Rigney estimated that the lifetime savings for a four-person family in the Northeast switching to a Cala heat pump water heater from a propane tank heater is over $6,000.
"That's going to be really inexpensive over time, and it's also going to decarbonize 3% of all greenhouse gas emissions in the whole country," Rigney told The Cool Down.
Join our free newsletter for easy tips to save more and waste less, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Save $10,000 on solar panels without even sharing your phone number Want to go solar but not sure who to trust? EnergySage has your back with free and transparent quotes from fully vetted providers in your area. To get started, just answer a few questions about your home — no phone number required. Within a day or two, EnergySage will email you the best options for your needs, and their expert advisers can help you compare quotes and pick a winner. Solar panels can save you more than $50k over their 25-year lifespan, and EnergySage can help you save as much as $10k on installation. Which begs the question — isn't that worth an email or two? |
Cool Picks
